How ridiculous is this street press release, seen in York St Sydney today? The sad thing is, that it actually could have been a relevant and interesting piece of communication – right on a taxi stand and staring me (a taxi customer) right in the face. But nooooo…… Look at what it SAYS!

Taxi drivers want an exemption from a law that affects all other drivers. I can’t see why an exemption should me made to anyone driving a car for any reason other than a medical one. The law exists in order to prevent non-seatbelt wearers from forcing an expensive externality on the rest of society. It probably would save lives.

They think compulsory seatbelt wearing will “severely impact on other industrial rights.” OK, which other rights? Why would compulsory seatbelts interfere with any other industrial rights? It seems pretty targeted policy to me!

Finally, making seatbelts compulsory without a medical exemption becomes a “harsh, unjust, oppressive anti-taxi driver agenda.” WHOAH there Farouque. Don’t you think you might be – er – overstating things just a bit?

Don’t get me wrong, I actually agree with the drivers’ union on some issues; principally their long-held objection to the stranglehold a couple of big firms have on the industry courtesy of our inept state “government” – so much so that even Macquarie Bank struggled to get a foothold and sold.

Gotta give them credit for the tagline though – “A Fair Share of a Fair Fare.” Try saying that three times quickly!!!